Omamuzo Efidhere
In a bid to create independent living among widows, women that have physical disabilities and give orphans a sense of belonging and happiness during the commemoration of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, Dr. Rhoda Makinde Initiative, DROMI, a Non-Governmental Organization has donated food items worth hundreds of thousands and cash gifts to the Physically Handicapped, Orphans, and Widows in Delta.
Prince Happy Igho Umukoro, while presenting the Bags of rice, cartons of tin tomatoes, groundnut oil, cartons of noodles, bag of tissue papers and cash gift to the Physically Handicapped Association of Nigeria PHAN, Sapele Branch at the Nigeria Red Cross Society Sapele Division Secretariat recently stated that the purpose of the donation was to Alleviate hunger and cushion the effect of poverty on the beneficiaries during the festive season.
“The Dr. Rhoda Makinde Initiative (DROMI) is an empowerment Scheme that seeks to assist women, regardless of party affiliation, ethnic group and religious background. These women consist of the aged, widows, single, women living with disabilities-blind, deaf or hard of hearing, Physical challenged or crippled, women in rural and urban areas, women with low income, pregnant women and those that have fertility problem.
“Seeing the challenges and plights of the disadvantaged in our society, Dr. Rhoda Makinde Initiative came to be in order to ameliorate living conditions through feeding programs, donating Food stuffs and cash as well as skill acquisition for old people, orphans, widows, less privileged, prisoners and to create independent living among women that are physically handicapped we also donate wheel chairs, canes, walkers etc.
“This will give them a sense of belonging, boost their self-esteem, enhance their participation in politics and policy making and provide an equal and favourable platform for them to discover, explore and utilize their potentials. DROMI is in the business of ensuring that women discover themselves, regain their sense of pride, become relevant and contribute their quota to the general development of their constituencies.
“The platform is for women to showcase themselves to the society. DROMI will want to transform thousands of lives through evidence-based programs that focus on expanding women’s economic opportunities, increasing women’s rights and security, and advancing women’s political participation. The unique scheme will also want to practice an integrated approach that promotes gender equality across the society.”
Receiving the items on behalf of Physically Handicapped Association of Nigeria, President Sapele Branch, Pastor Isaac Sajin, charged politicians to emulate Dr. Rhoda Makinde, according to him “Politicians should learn from her, she is not a politician and do not have her money easily but politicians do have theirs easily because they will go to the office and at the end of the day they will go home with ‘Ghana must go’ bags. So they should learn from this woman that is struggling to have her money and yet coming out to put smiles on the faces of the physically handicapped.”
He appealed to government, organizations, and corporations to give the Physically Handicapped employment, contracts as some of them are graduates and skilled. “We have what it takes to be employed and awarded contract. I can say that we will perform more than some able bodied candidates if given the opportunity. Being challenged does not mean that we are disabled inside there is ability in disability. In terms of health, we are facing major challenges. When we fall ill going to the hospital is a problem and when we get there, we are not attended to because of money. We want the commissioner of health to look into our issue so that we can be treated without asking for money. Major public facilities should be built with us in mind for easy access; Governor Ifeanyi Okowa please put us on payroll and pay monthly stipends let physically handicapped in the state be receiving alerts as others do. Nothing is too small and we are few “He said
At Orem Faith Orphanage Home in Ughelli North Local Government Area, Dr. Rhoda Makinde Initiative gave the over 100 orphans a sense of belonging and happiness by presenting cash gifts, bags of rice, cartons of tin tomatoes, bags of tissue papers, cartons of bobo soft drinks, biscuits and indomie.
Also at Ufuoma Town in Ughelli North Local Government Area, cash gifts, bags of rice, cartons of tin tomatoes, cartons of groundnut oil and soft drinks were shared amongst over 100 widows and aged women. Ojiyovwi Oboba, 90year old widow, Regina Usu, Grace Asakpa, and Charity Apoki widows for 30 and 15 years respectively were so appreciative of the philanthropic gesture that they prayed for God’s divine protection, blessings and favour upon the initiator Dr. Rhoda
Makinde.
